I monitored it for a few hours and empty it cycles between 54F and 61F about every 2 hours.

Questions:1) Is this spread (7F) typical?2) Is 7F OK for aging cheese?3) Will it improve if I add some mass (gallon jugs of water) as compared to an empty fridge?4) Do you guys add mass to the inside of your fridge?5) Anything else to be done to minimize the high-low spread?

AJ, I think I'd reset the control a little lower...perhaps for a spread between 48-55F. Is it digital or analog? If digital, can't you select the spread? I have an analog Johnson controller and it is not possible to set the spread, but it still maintains a fairly consistent temperature. My newer Ranco digital controller lets me set the spread down to 1 degree. Set it to 51F and if it climbs to 52F, the controller kicks on.

I've never used something like jugs of water to help maintain a constant temp in my caves, but it sounds like a reasonable idea. My effort was confined to filling the available space with wheels of cheese.

AJ, I have an analog Johnson controller and it is not possible to set the spread, but it still maintains a fairly consistent temperature. My newer Ranco digital controller lets me set the spread down to 1 degree. Set it to 51F and if it climbs to 52F, the controller kicks on.

-Boofer-

If you set the spread that close don't you get a short cycle time that is hard on your cave cooler? Pete

I monitored it for a few hours and empty it cycles between 54F and 61F about every 2 hours.

Questions:1) Is this spread (7F) typical?2) Is 7F OK for aging cheese?3) Will it improve if I add some mass (gallon jugs of water) as compared to an empty fridge?4) Do you guys add mass to the inside of your fridge?5) Anything else to be done to minimize the high-low spread?

Thanks,AJ

I got to thinking (dangerous) . You are measuring the air temp. If you put a quart of water in to sub. for a 2# weal of cheese and monitor the temp of the water I think that you will find that it varies only a couple of degrees. Pete

I got to thinking (dangerous) . You are measuring the air temp. If you put a quart of water in to sub. for a 2# weal of cheese and monitor the temp of the water I think that you will find that it varies only a couple of degrees. Pete

I thought that too, but then I thought about it more and decided that if I was measuring the inside temp of a bottle of water, the air temperature would have to fluctuate more, because by the time the water warmed up, the air temp would be MUCH warmer. Then the fridge would run until the water was cool and the air would be MUCH cooler. So smaller cheeses (and the surface of all the cheeses) would experience a much greater fluctuation. Also, the cooler temp would cause condensation/dripping within the fridge. Since the fridge is actually cooling the air, it makes sense that I should measure the air.

you would not put the probe of the controller in the water, leave it in the air . put the probe of the thermometer that you use to monitor the temp of your cave in the water. the controller would keep the temp of the air as it does now but the temp of the water (or cheese) would not very that much. even the surface of the cheese would not very that much. Pete

you would not put the probe of the controller in the water, leave it in the air . put the probe of the thermometer that you use to monitor the temp of your cave in the water. the controller would keep the temp of the air as it does now but the temp of the water (or cheese) would not very that much. even the surface of the cheese would not very that much. Pete

If you set the spread that close don't you get a short cycle time that is hard on your cave cooler? Pete

Possibly, but maybe I'm just lucky...my caves keep a pretty constant temp and the compressors don't seem to work that hard. Possibly decent insulation and/or the presence of the cheese mass inside each cave.